A Scottish car mechanic will be visiting the island’s lifeboat stations later this month as part of a fundraising effort to see every one in the UK and Ireland over the next year.

Chris Mason will be spending his free time during weekends and holidays visiting the RNLI stations.

The man from Cornhill-on-Tweed in the Scottish Borders was motivated to take on the challenge because he was moved by the bravery of the volunteers while watching a lifeboat crew on the television programme Saving Lives at Sea. After that, he decided he wanted to support the charity.

The 57-year-old, who will visit the island this week, said: ’I officially started this in October last year and do it on my weekends off and my holidays. It’s a massive undertaking - I racked up 900 miles over the weekend.

’It has been really good though, you learn a lot from the volunteers - they’re very passionate about what they do.’

Mr Mason hasn’t visited the Isle of Man before.

He said: ’One of my work colleagues goes over all the time for the TT and he says "you’ve got to spend the night there," so that’s what I’m doing.

’Unfortunately I haven’t got time to look around but what I am finding is I’m meeting people and thinking "I’ll come back here again".’

He added: ’All the lifeboat crews are really welcoming and eager to help. My main aim is to raise as much money for the RNLI as I can. I love to help people and make a difference.’

Mr Mason, a motor mechanic and recovery patrol driver, has been driving to each of the stations and taking a photo as evidence of his visit. He posts these pictures to his Facebook page. His aim is to finish the tour by the end of this year ’if possible’.

The amateur photographer has visited 53 lifeboat stations to date with another 185 to go, plus any independent stations he comes across. There are over 150 independent lifeboat stations across the UK, of which he has so far visited 10.

Mr Mason began his challenge at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, which served as the first lifeboat station in the world after castle trustee John Sharp commissioned the first ’unimmersible’ lifeboat for Bamburgh in 1786.

You can donate to his GoFundMe page called Chris’s Quest Lifeboat Station Tour, which has raised just over £220 so far.